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An English Combatant, Lieutenant of Artillery of the Field Staff., Battlefields of the South from Bull Run to Fredericksburgh; with sketches of Confederate commanders, and gossip of the camps., Chapter 35: (search)
eneral Sykes had been in a house near Hogan's, and among other things, a friend handed me several Northern illustrated papers brimful of Federal victories extravagantly sketched. The large open fields around were the camping and drill grounds of Porter's large force of regular infantry and artillery. The retreat had been conducted with much order, and comparatively few stores fell into our hands; the enemy having burned them beforehand, together with many wagons, the ashes of which were stillad time to destroy it. On Thursday, therefore, he moved down the Branch turnpike, and proceeded towards the Pamunkey, where his presence was least expected or desirable, as large quantities of all kinds of stores were piled ready for burning. As Porter was not then defeated, the order had not arrived for their destruction, so that Stuart captured scores of horses, wagons, ambulances, and immense supplies of every kind, besides several hundred prisoners. My informant, who was there, expressed gr
An English Combatant, Lieutenant of Artillery of the Field Staff., Battlefields of the South from Bull Run to Fredericksburgh; with sketches of Confederate commanders, and gossip of the camps., Chapter 37: (search)
Hanover Court-House; but the officers knew: and when asked what the immense destruction of stores meant along the line, they answered ambiguously, spoke of a probable change of base, clearing of the rear, and of a speedy march to Richmond. When Porter's right wing was driven out of Mechanicsville, Ellison's Mills, and Beaver Dam Creek, McClellan laughed, and said he was only drawing the rebels on to destruction at Gaines's Mills; and when the whole of the right and part of the centre were drivng to hurl his strength at our right, feeble as it was, and capture Richmond in one day, before we had time to re-cross and oppose him. This was all believed by the multitude, who relied implicitly on his word, until the heavy wagon-trains of Porter and other generals began moving towards the James River on Friday night, Saturday, and Sunday, and the torch was applied to their stores. When, added to this, our advance moved down the railroad, and routed their chosen rear-guard at Savage stat
An English Combatant, Lieutenant of Artillery of the Field Staff., Battlefields of the South from Bull Run to Fredericksburgh; with sketches of Confederate commanders, and gossip of the camps., Chapter 38: (search)
Why, sir, the regulars could not beat them! Gentlemen, I must confess, I entertained poor opinions of our artillery till now, and looked upon them as fit for little else but to waste ammunition, but the manner in which they fought and defeated Porter's regulars, convinces me that we are a superior stock altogether. Highly complimentary, wasn't it? The boys deserved such praise, for the constancy with which they served their pieces on all occasions was astonishing, particularly as two thirdsiasm and pluck of our boys have much to do with it. Being accustomed to arms from infancy, they are excellent judges of distance, and will travel all day to witness fine shooting. The first shots fired by Kemper at Bull Run completely smashed up Porter's artillery, and threw their reserves into utter confusion. Besides, those in artillery service are young, active, wiry fellows, and jump about the pieces with the suppleness of cats, dragging their guns about by hand as if they were playthings.
An English Combatant, Lieutenant of Artillery of the Field Staff., Battlefields of the South from Bull Run to Fredericksburgh; with sketches of Confederate commanders, and gossip of the camps., Chapter 41: (search)
being executed. Prisoners captured informed us of the commands they severally belonged to; from whom it appeared that Heintzelman was moving against our left under Ewell near Centreville; Sigel was operating against the centre under Jackson; and Porter, with his regulars and powerful artillery, was opposed to Hill, McDowell being in reserve. Banks was not mentioned, and his position was unknown. This news confirmed our former suspicions that McClellan was reenforcing Pope as rapidly as possib subsequently verified. We learned from some of General Reno's forces, after the second battle of Bull Run, that they were the troops intrusted with the defence of Thoroughfare Gap, but being hard pushed by the Confederates, had retired upon General Porter's corps, with which they had subsequently acted. Hooker was also with Pope. and would form a junction with us in a few hours. Although still hard pressed by the heavy forces of the enemy, and obliged to give ground from physical weakness
An English Combatant, Lieutenant of Artillery of the Field Staff., Battlefields of the South from Bull Run to Fredericksburgh; with sketches of Confederate commanders, and gossip of the camps., Chapter 42: (search)
ll is over, for the North always misrepresents matters. I did not hear that we had lost thirty pieces of artillery, but your statement is doubtless correct, for I know we must have suffered fearfully, judging from the hurry and confusion of retreat. Your pickets informed me, that all the roads are literally blocked up with wagons, caissons, and cannon. I do not doubt it, for it is no use disguising the fact that we were completely routed. Your attack upon our left was a fierce affair, and Porter suffered terribly. Had your assault upon our centre succeeded as well, we should never have reached Centreville alive. Sigel behaved like a hero there, and so did McDowell; had they not rushed into the wide gap with fresh troops and stubbornly defended it, our whole army would have been divided and slaughtered piecemeal. It is true, as you have been told, that we never had confidence in Pope; we all felt that he was perfectly bewildered during the week, galloping from this place to th
An English Combatant, Lieutenant of Artillery of the Field Staff., Battlefields of the South from Bull Run to Fredericksburgh; with sketches of Confederate commanders, and gossip of the camps., Chapter 43: (search)
irty hours had elapsed subsequent to the engagement at Sharpsburgh! Some few hours after the above telegram, he consoled the authorities at Washington by saying: Our victory is complete The enemy is driven (?) back into Virginia. Maryland and Pennsylvania are now safe! Again he added; The Confederates succeeded in crossing the Potomac on Friday morning with all their transports and wounded, except some three hundred of the latter! On the twentieth, however, their army began to move Fitz-John Porter taking the advance, who judged, from the extremely quiet look of all things on the Virginia shore, that we were far inland. Barnes's brigade of Pennsylvanians, supported by one of regulars, under chief command of General Sykes, moved towards the river, and forded the stream at Boteler's Mills. Heavy guns were planted on the Maryland shore to cover their crossing. Jackson had felt certain that the enemy would attempt to pursue, and he made no display of force likely to intimidate t
Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, The Passing of the Armies: The Last Campaign of the Armies., Introductory. (search)
rps, the record of which has been obscured in consequence of the summary change of commanders early in the campaign. The Fifth Corps had a certain severity of reputation quite distinctive in the comradeship of the army. Early in its history, Porter's Division — the nucleus of it-had drawn the especial praise of General McClellan for its soldierly bearing and proficiency, being unfortunately referred to in orders as a model for the rest of the army. This had the effect of creating on the porps of the Army of the Potomac. It may not be improper to state here that there was a manifest prejudice against the Fifth Corps at Government Headquarters,--particularly at Stanton's,--on account of the supposed attachment for McClellan and Porter among its members. This was believed to be the reason why no promotion to the rank of General Officers was made in this Corps for a long time, unless secured by political influence. Brigades and even divisions were in many cases commanded by co
Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, The Passing of the Armies: The Last Campaign of the Armies., Chapter 4: Five Forks. (search)
-might have been spared the after humiliation of experiencing in his own person how fortune and favor preside in the final distribution of honors in a country's recognition. The Fifth Corps had an eventful history. Two passages of it made a remarkable coincidence. It was its misfortune to lose two of its commanders — the first and the last in the field of action-by measures so questionable as to call for a court of review, by which, long after, both were substantially vindicated: Fitz-John Porter, accounted the most accomplished corps commander on the Peninsula, and heir apparent to the command of the army, and Warren, whom Grant says he had looked upon for commander of the army in case anything should take from the field the sterling Meade. Grant's Memoirs, vol. II., p. 216. Who from such beginning could have foretold the end! And Meade,--he, too, went from the Fifth Corps to the command of the army, and found there a troubled eminence and an uncrowned end. Shakespeare
Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, The Passing of the Armies: The Last Campaign of the Armies., Chapter 6: Appomattox. (search)
r the Court House on the left,--to face the last line of battle, and receive the last remnant of the arms and colors of that great army which ours had been created to confront for all that death can do for life. We were remnants also: Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York; veterans, and replaced veterans; cut to pieces, cut down, consolidated, divisions into brigades, regiments into one, gathered by State origin; this little line, quintessence or metempsychosis of Porter's old corps of Gaines' Mill and Malvern Hill; men of near blood born, made nearer by blood shed. Those facing us-now, thank God! the same. As for me, I was once more with my old command. But this was not all I needed. I had taken leave of my little First Brigade so endeared to me, and the end of the fighting had released the Second from all orders from me. But these deserved to share with me now as they had so faithfully done in the sterner passages of the campaign. I got permissio
Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, The Passing of the Armies: The Last Campaign of the Armies., Chapter 8: the encampment. (search)
eal. Within our own camp things were harmonious and more than that. The Second and Fifth Corps grew nearer and dearer to each other. One pleasing incident in my command may be worthy of record. The officers of my division desired to present to Major-General Griffin, our corps commander, a worthy token of the deep regard in which he was held in this division so honorably known as his in the last campaign, and with which he had been conspicuously associated since the heroic days of Fitz-John Porter. A Maltese cross was decided on as the basis for this memorial, and the design for it being entrusted to me by the committee in charge, was sent to Tiffany of New York for execution. It was our battle flag in miniature,the Red Maltese cross on a white field, the colors enameled on a gold ground, the cross bordered with small diamonds, and in the center a diamond worth a thousand dollars. Orders were now out for the grand review of our army on the 23d of May, and we decided to hol
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